Why Are We So Unhealthy, Overweight and Obese in America?

Why do you think we have such a high prevalence of poor health and obesity in America? I really need your feed back. Your voice will help frame a proposal to our legislature to make nutrition education mandatory in our schools and available to individuals and parents through community, business and church workshops. We must make creating health and the prevention of disease and illness a priority. It will cost much less to teach prevention than to provide health care and disease management. It will reduce the cost of health care for individuals, families, taxpayers and Corporate America.

Obesity is Squeezing America

In the coming months we will kickoff a campaign “Conquering Obesity” that will bring our collective voice to the public and state and federal government agencies. If you have a passion for health and would like to volunteer, we could certainly use your support. Unless we can bring a change to our American way of life, our children being born today will begin to develop disease and illness earlier than ever before. Please read the information below. I hope you will take part and help make Americans healthier than ever.

It is our goal that families begin to understand the need for a shift to a healthy lifestyle so they and their children can enjoy a long healthy life. To bring about the change we are working to educate and motivate individuals, families, churches and businesses on the consequences of the current health trends and the benefits of a shift to healthier lifestyle.

According to statics from http://www.americashealthrankings.org, in 2009 the southern states and in-particular the southeastern states made up the cellar in health rankings across all states. In fact 7 of the 10 unhealthiest, positions 40 to 50, make up what I would consider southeastern states. You can view the individual state rankings here. In addition the same health monitoring organization predicts the prevalence of obesity in the United States is estimated to increase from the current level of 31.30% obese to 42.80% obese in 2018. I am sure you can imagine where the rates of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers are headed. All of these negative health conditions are preventable, even if you have a genetic history for them. Lifestyle behavior will trump genetics almost 100% of the time. Take look at some shocking health figures.

The current health trends in this country show a decrease in health and wellness across a broad spectrum of health categories. Our health care system is seeing increasing rates of serious adult diseases and health conditions occurring in America’s youth. We have children under twelve years of age developing high cholesterol, type II diabetes and hypertension. In fact the American Academy of Pediatrics recently updated their policy to recommend that children between the ages of two and ten are screened for high cholesterol if they or their family members are overweight or have experienced high lipid profiles. This has to stop.

Young adults are developing degenerative disease earlier than ever. America’s adults, in general have higher rates of heart and cardiovascular disease than most industrialized nations. Obesity is growing and diabetes is now reaching epidemic rates.

This demands and calls for an urgent paradigm shift in our culture. We must become active in our lifestyle and involved in the process of managing dietary needs for ourselves and our families. If your heritage is from the African-American or Hispanic culture you should be alarmed, the rates of obesity and it’s related diseases and illnesses are even higher for you.

We must change how we live. It has to start today. Every mother and father should make sure you are feeding your children healthy foods and providing them the opportunity for an active lifestyle. Please join us in our efforts to change the landscape of America’s health. Every journey begins with one step. Please take yours today and lets walk together on the journey to a healthy and vibrant life.

Wally’s Daily Dose

The Unhealthiest 14 States

Florida

36

North Carolina

37

Missouri

38

Texas

39

Arkansas

40

Kentucky

41

West Virginia

42

Georgia

43

Tennessee

44

Nevada

45

South Carolina

46

Louisiana

47

Alabama

48

Oklahoma

49

Mississippi

50

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Published by Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.

In 2006, Wally was a morbidly obese man who weighed over 450 pounds and had many health problems. By improving his nutrition and adopting holistic healthy living principles, Wally was able to lose more than 220 pounds. By adopting these natural holistic principles he reversed many health problems including diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, lymphedema, arthritis and sleep apnea.
Today, Wally is a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Certified Nutritional and Wellness Consultant and is the owner of Wellness With Wally, a Nutrition and Health Coaching Service.
Wally is actively involved in local and national health promotion efforts. In addition, he works with community organizations and corporations as a speaker and educator.
Wally’s Achievements
• Author of over 300 articles on diet, nutrition, weight loss, sports nutrition and healthy living principles.
• Regular contributor to local and national magazines and health related blog sites.
• Author of “Maximize Your Life, Renew Your Mind, Body, and Spirit.”
• Creator of the 12-week health and wellness course, “Unlock Your Health Potential,” which has been taught at local companies over the past 4 years.
• Wally has given over 250 presentations regarding health, fitness, wellness and nutrition.
• Wally has been a featured guest on NPR, CBS and Fox News stations. As well as being invited to provide expert health opinions on various radio programs.
• Wally has been instrumental in the development and implementation of Health and Wellness programs for companies including a Fortune 500 company.
Additionally, Wally provides a variety of class formats (ranging from thirty minute to one-hour classes to full 12-week courses) for businesses that are looking for ways to encourage their employees to adopt healthier lifestyles. Improved employee health and wellness has a positive impact on employee attendance, work efficiency, quality of work, lower health care cost and overall associate happiness thus increasing a companies overall bottom line.
View all posts by Wallace Bishop I.N.H.C, C.N.C.

6 thoughts on “Why Are We So Unhealthy, Overweight and Obese in America?”

There are many reasons. Addiction to food. Feelings of unworthiness. Lack of education and knowledge about good self-care and healthy eating. Yes, this can be true even in the information age due to all the mixed messages provided by media (magazines) and the diet industry. Hidden depression may also be a possible reason. Often teens and pre-teens aren’t equipped with the tools to handle all the choices and situations they are faced with, so its easy to turn to food, video-games, etc to cope. We need to emphasize feelings and centering practices that increase body awareness which in turn will increase positive self-image, confidence, and motivation to lead healthier lives.

I think there are a lot of factors as to why we are so obese. I had a health screening recently, and it said I was obese. When I crunched the numbers according to a book on nutrition I was NOT obese, but very, very close.

But here are my two cents:

1. We’re busy. For several months, I worked three jobs. This summer, I’m just working two. My full time job does not have a set schedule, and therefore I am opening one day, then working second shift the next couple days, then back to first shift again. At least once a month, I work seven days in a row. Since I “only” have two jobs now, I am exercising more.

2. Frustration. If I have a bad day at work, it’s very easy to swing by a fast food place and eat.

3. Not getting lunch breaks at work. This happened for about a year and a half, as I did delivery for a home improvement store. It wasn’t uncommon to work 11-12-13-14 hours a day (and sometimes longer) without being able to stop for lunch. I always packed food I could eat while driving a truck. So I DID eat, I just didn’t get a chance to stop and eat because we were so busy with delivery. Eventually, we had to fill out forms to report if we stopped for lunch or not. Apparently, the company was afraid of getting in trouble because we rarely took lunches.

4. Food addiction. You have to wonder with all the additives they put in food if they don’t throw something in that makes you crave the stuff even more.

5. Huge portions at restaurants. Also, don’t forget the free chips and salsa at most Mexican restaurants, plus the bread and butter handed out at other places.

6. Bigger portions when it comes to pop and endless refills at most restaurants.

I’ve struggled with weight for years. I was a skinny teenager, but I swear my metabolism shut down at age 22. I ate the same foods I ate as a kid (but certainly less now) yet I’m overweight. There was a group of people I hung out with about three or four times a year, and they are morbidly obese except for one, and she’s gained a considerable amount of weight over the past year. One of my obese acquaintances (who always had something nasty to say to me ever time we got together) finally pushed my “last straw” button and I am no longer “friends” with her. Frankly, I am sick of seeing huge people all the time. And we never do anything active. If we get together, we sit around and eat. Even doing something like Putt Putt Golf is asking too much! I’m sick of being fat. Even when I gave up soda for Lent, I ended up GAINING weight. I DID increase my jogging, so I can only hope the extra weight was muscle. I hope it was, as that health screening measured my body fat and it was about two or three percentage points less than the last time I measured it. But it’s still depressing to give up pop and not see a significant weight reduction. They say to do little things, and the weight will come off, but I think for some of us (me) in order to really see a difference, we will have to make radical changes in diet and ramp up the exercise just to lose ten pounds or so.

I asked a slender co-worker what her secret was to being slender, and she said, if you saw my parents, you’d understand. Not only are they slender, but they are young-looking. Genetics DO play a part. Not all of us can be size twos, but I don’t think all of us should look like bowling balls with arms and legs either.

And as a result of jogging more, my blood pressure is perfect. So exercise helps. Even if I don’t get back to a size seven, I absolutely do not want to end up like my morbidly obese friends, nor do I want to end up on disability, or die by age 50. I fear all of these things may happen to the people I know if they don’t do something SOON.